The Excelsior # 1239 Trolley Car

It was cool and sunny Saturday. I wandered over to the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Museum. Next to it sat the Excelsior Trolley, with a staff of two waiting to take on riders for the short ride of about a quarter mile one way (my estimation).
After a few shots I headed back into the little, free admission museum. There were historicall artifacts of the area, photos and memorabillia. As I took low light photos, a young woman approached and told me of the other Archives Building nearby, open 3 hours a week. A pretty narrow window, I thought, but this is a volunteer organization.
I may join ...senior membership is 10 bucks.

Locust Hills- a revisit on a cool Friday morning

After crawling through wet brush, wild grass and golden rod to take a photo yesterday... only to find that my camera lens was covered with dew droplets. I returned today. Yesterday's narrow shot was all I could salvage. Today was drier, but that misty magic was gone.

Locust Hills Thursday

Wandering along the weekend trail

I wandered up, and chatted with people along the trail yesterday. I talked with a friendly couple picking wild plums along the Luce Line. They volunteered to give me a bag so I could join them picking the ripe wild plum fruit; "You can make jam very easily" he said with a German accent. I declined, and continued on down the trail.
It was an sunny, autumnal day, and trail traffic was light. I am only guessing, but the nearby paved Dakota Trail was probably being favored by the crowds. Clay surface trails (Luce Line) are soft and slow, - better for walkers, runners and wide tired bicyclers





I stopped into the Excelsior Flee Market and I had a brief and illuminating conversation with a vintage bottle collector about the history of ancient glass, ancient window production methods, and the popularity of glass bottle collecting in the US. He told me of rollled glass and blown glass prodution techniques in the old world and the new... after which I did not buy a thing.
Life.

The State Fair arriving on track eleven.

This "Little Train" was a popular ride for many years at the Minnesota State Fair.This photo circa 1949 from the book: "Historic Photos of Minnesota". I do not think I ever rode on it, but I remember the little train was a hit with all the little kids. I was relegated to the listening to the hawkers of fear and loathing at the now-defunct Midway Freak Show. The rubber man, headless woman and the lizard boy were fascinating to an adolescent fighting acne.

HW 254 MH - under McGinty Bridge

View from the Gray's Bay Bridge

Maggie's Bench at Deephaven Beach

A memorial bench in Deephaven Beach displays a simple statement. Maggie died in 1992, as a freshman at Blake High School. The following are views from Maggie's Bench.

Rain

Corn husks and corn

Tigers in my front yard

Well I have some "Tigers" in my woods too.

I was there at daybreak

Cellular tech

I will admit it, I have run this one before, but I think I should occassionally do a revisit to my most popular cartoons.
This one for helicopter parents: "Honey I shrunk the helicopter".

Harvestor and Lilly

Talisman from Waconia

"The Skipper he stood beside the helm,
His pipe was in his mouth,
And he watched how the veering flaw did blow
The smoke now West, now South.

Then up and spake an old Sailor,
Had sailed the Spanish Main,
"I pray thee, put into yonder port,
for I fear a hurricane.

"Last night the moon had a golden ring,
And to-night no moon we see!"
The skipper, he blew whiff from his pipe,
And a scornful laugh laughed he."

- I made this post minutes before a funnel cloud set down in nearby Minnetrista and moved towardsPlymouth.

Celebrating Yellow

Scenes from the Tour de Tonka 09

When I woke Saturday morning the sky was blustery and the wind was bending the trees as if they were doing "the wave" to me. Windy... I almost prefer the rain. But the sky brightened, and as I arrived at the starting point everyone was very eager to get underway. - I, personally, needed more coffee.
Slipping into my "rat traps" with a flick of my feet I headed out along the crowded frontage road with the early riders doing the 16 and 38 mile rides. The more rugged 65 and 75 milers would have to wait a few minutes for the throng to clear before starting. (In total, I guestimate a couple thousand riders in all 4 distances).
The 38 mile course was challenging and quite beautiful, with scenes of the lakes and countryside. The final ride up and down the Vine Hill Road "Roller Coaster" certainly got my attention... then a glide down to the finish.
The organizers, sponsors and volunteers were superb. "Thank you" to everyone for making the ride a very well executed and successful cycling event.











A rider (not the author) takes a spill.





And... at the end of the ride she appeared to us like an angel - bearing pizza.